JUNE 17, 2026

  "Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run—in the long-run, I say!—success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it” 

― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

NEHEMIAH 4-6

9They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”

But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

10One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”

11But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” 12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.

14Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.(6:9-15)

 

ACTS 2:14-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

JOURNAL 

Nehemiah faced relentless opposition. The enemies of the wall did not simply attack the work. They tried to wear him down through distraction, manipulation, and fear. Yet Nehemiah remained focused because he understood his purpose. Rather than retreating into self-preservation, he prayed for strength and continued the work God had given him. The wall was completed in just fifty-two days, not because Nehemiah was pursuing success, but because he was faithfully pursuing his calling.

The same pattern appears in the early church in Acts. The believers devoted themselves to God, to one another, and to the mission before them. Their lives were marked by generosity, joy, and sincere hearts. As they lived as a community shaped by God's Spirit, people were drawn to what they saw. Growth was not the goal. It was the result of a people living in alignment with God's purpose.

That idea has become increasingly clear to me. I want my life to be an outpost of Heaven, a place where God's presence flows through me into the people around me. Viktor Frankl captured this truth when he wrote that success cannot be pursued directly. It emerges as the byproduct of dedication to something greater than oneself.

Frankl's words deeply impacted me during a season when many of the things I had built my identity around seemed to be falling apart. I had spent years pursuing success, believing it would provide meaning, security, and fulfillment. Instead, I often found myself anxious, striving, and exhausted. Gradually, through both Frankl's insights and the work of God's Spirit in my life, I began to see success differently.

Scripture teaches that God has given us a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline rather than fear. When I live from that Spirit, I no longer have to control outcomes or seek validation from others. My role is simply to be faithful to what God has placed before me. Whether I am teaching a class, coaching a team, mowing the yard, encouraging a friend, or leading a project, my purpose remains the same: to receive God's love and allow it to flow through me.

Success then becomes something entirely different. It is not measured by achievements, recognition, or results. It is measured by faithfulness. It is the quiet confidence that comes from knowing I am walking in step with God's purpose. The outcomes belong to Him.

Today I am grateful. I have breath in my lungs, people I love, meaningful work to do, and a Father who knows me completely and loves me fully. That is enough. My aim is not success. My aim is to be a conduit of God's Spirit, living with purpose, power, love, and discipline. If success comes, it will come as the natural fruit of a life surrendered to Him.

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

JUNE 16, 2026

 “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ” 

― Walt Disney Company

NEHEMIAH 1-3

17Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

20I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”(2:17-20)

ACTS 2:1-13

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,^b 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

JOURNAL 

God is a God of action. He sends out Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah...the people are asked to risk and take action. Obedience to God is found in action. Worship is an action, obedience is an action, love is done in action. I really don't believe you can be a true follower of God and not be taking action that stretches and causes you to seek and trust God. It is the essential channel of good leadership, however before action must come vision and direction. Both Nehemiah and the disciples received this vision and power before they set out on their mission. 

Mission is what this life is all about. Every believer has been given a mission to bring the love of God to the world in which they live...to their particular outpost in this world. The ultimate purpose in following God is to serve, not to be served. It is to give, not to receive. It is to live a life of action, not one of passivity and sloth. For God has given me the gift of life, energy and a healthy mind and body. I am to use it fully, not half-way, not some of the time. One day I will have eternal rest but that is not today, and I am not to waste my days longing for it. I am to spend my days and hours in action...obeying God and serving mankind. Building an outpost of heaven in my place in this world.

31but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

ISAIAH 40:31

JUNE 15, 2026

  “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” 

― Leonardo da Vinci

EZRA 9-10

5Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6and prayed:

“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

8“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place^a in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.(9:5-9)

ACTS 1

12Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk^c from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)

JOURNAL 

The intensity by which Ezra mourns takes me aback. Do I really look at my actions and the actions of my family and my household with this level of scrutiny? Do I consider my actions and my ways and have I been faithful alone to God? Is my life consumed with seeking him...obeying him and being successful in doing all he leads me to do?

I am not...I do not...

Reading in Acts it is amazing that the followers of Christ numbered 120. God is successful in working through his believers. We are to be successful in doing those things he leads us to do and accomplish. The difference is that I have the spirit of God within me. That was made possible at Pentecost which is to come up in the next few chapters. That doesn't mean that my actions no longer matter. Rather it is simply a matter of perspective...operating for God as a slave vs. operating as a son. 

Jesus made it possible that I would now be robbed in righteousness, no longer do I need to wallow in self-pity or scramble to feel justified. No longer must I feel shame for the past or experience the penance for past failures. I am justified, loved and made a son of prominence and privilege. That is the miracle of the gospel and the miracle of Jesus' death. 

Watching some of the period dramas over the past few years...seeing the difference between those considered heir's and those considered slaves is a striking juxtaposition. The freedom is incomparable, but also the responsibility is undeniable, I think this is what God's intent is for us. To gain the sense of the responsibility we have as heirs. To embrace and own that sense of identity and power, but to use it in accomplishing his purposes. We are not here to make an easy life for ourselves...we are here to do great work. That work is building an outpost of God's kingdom wherever we are planted. In whatever time we have to live...we are to be the shining light on a hill. A place where those that are hurting, lonely and lost can experience the love and power of God. 

 4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.^b 6Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^cFather.” 7So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. 

GALATIANS 4:4-7

JUNE 14, 2026

  “We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.” 

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

EZRA 6-8

11Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble. 12May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.  (6:1-12)

JOHN 21

4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.^c 9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

JOURNAL 

In Ezra 6, we see God working through King Darius—an unlikely ally. Though the Jews were living under foreign rule, exiled from their homeland and legacy, God's hand never left them. Darius not only allows the temple work to continue, but issues a decree with fierce protection: “May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple” (Ezra 6:12). It's a powerful reminder that God's purposes are not confined by human systems or failures. Even when His people seem lost in exile, He raises up provision and protection from unexpected places.

In John 21, we see another moment of divine tenderness. The disciples have returned to fishing—perhaps discouraged, maybe disoriented by the death and resurrection of Jesus, uncertain of what’s next. Then Jesus appears on the shore and calls out: “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” (John 21:5). What follows is a familiar miracle, echoing their first calling. But even more profound is Jesus’ quiet, redemptive moment with Peter. The one who had denied Him three times is now invited to affirm his love three times. Jesus doesn’t shame him. Instead, He restores him, over a fire of burning coals and breakfast. Grace wrapped in everyday familiarity.

These two stories—separated by centuries—speak the same truth: God does not abandon us when we fail. He meets us in our weakness, in exile, in denial, in despair—and still calls us back to purpose. Like Peter, who was overcome by his own failure, we may be tempted to retreat into what feels safe or familiar. But Jesus comes right into that space—not to remind us of our failure, but to rewrite the story.

This reminds me of 1 Peter 1:6–9, where we are told that “though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials… these have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith… may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (vv. 6–7). Our trials are not pointless. Our failures are not wasted. They are the very soil where faith grows.

So today I rest in this truth: earthly failure is never God’s final word. In fact, it may be the very beginning of restoration. Whether through the decree of a foreign king or the quiet offering of bread and fish by a campfire, God is always drawing us back—restoring, rebuilding, and reminding us who we are and whose we are.

What grace. What hope.

 6In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

1 PETER 1:6-9

JUNE 13, 2026

 

 “Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always sings.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

EZRA 3-5

10When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

“He is good;

his love toward Israel endures forever.”

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. (3:10-13)

JOHN 20

11Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

JOURNAL 

"The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena..." has long been one of my favorite quotes from Theodore Roosevelt. I memorized it in college, and standing in Glacier National Park these past few days, I found myself thinking about it again. There is something about being out in the elements that reminds you that life is meant to be experienced, not merely observed.

Over the last several days I have seen some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever witnessed. Towering mountains, crystal lakes, waterfalls pouring down cliffs, and valleys carved over thousands of years. At times we walked through rain, cold, wind, and clouds that hid the peaks we had come to see. Yet even then, there was a different kind of beauty. One of the guides told us how dramatically the weather can change in Glacier. A mountain revealed one moment can disappear the next. A sunny valley can become covered in clouds within minutes. Every day looks different, yet every day is worth experiencing. The beauty is not dependent on the conditions.

As I listened, I thought about how much that mirrors life. We often believe beauty only exists in clear skies and easy circumstances. Yet Glacier reminds us that the same mountain remains whether it is bathed in sunlight or hidden behind a storm.

What struck me even more were the stories of destruction and renewal woven throughout the park. Fires, avalanches, rock slides, and harsh winters leave visible scars across the landscape. Entire hillsides bear witness to devastation. Yet life continues to emerge from those places. Some trees actually require the intense heat of fire before their seeds can be released. What appears to be destruction becomes the very thing that creates new life.

I was also fascinated by the aspens. What appears to be a forest of individual trees is often connected by one mother root system beneath the ground. Even when fire destroys the visible trees, the root remains alive. In time, new shoots emerge, and a new grove is born from what looked like complete loss.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always sings."

That thought brought me to Ezra. When the foundation of the new temple was laid, some shouted for joy while others wept for what had been lost. The sounds were so mixed together that no one could distinguish one from the other. Joy and sorrow occupied the same moment. Celebration and grief stood side by side. Yet God was working through both.

The same truth appears in John 20. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb carrying unimaginable grief. Everything she thought she understood had collapsed. The story seemed over. Yet in the midst of her tears, Jesus simply called her by name. "Mary."

No trumpet blast. No dramatic announcement. No public spectacle. Just the voice of the risen Christ speaking her name.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that this is often how God works. We expect Him in the grand and dramatic, but He is just as present in the quiet moments. He speaks through His Word, through prayer, through the love of family and friends, through a conversation with a guide in Glacier National Park, through mountains hidden by clouds, and through forests reborn after fire.

What Mary could not see was that God was transforming apparent tragedy into unimaginable glory. What looked like an ending was actually a beginning. What looked like ashes became resurrection.

That is the reality I so often miss in my own life. God is constantly calling my name. He is present in the beautiful moments and in the difficult ones. He is present when the skies are clear and when the mountains disappear behind the clouds. He is present in seasons of growth and in seasons that feel like loss.

Glacier reminded me that some seeds only open through fire and some forests only return because the roots beneath the surface never died. The same is true spiritually. God often does His deepest work beneath the surface, where we cannot see it. What feels like destruction may actually be preparation. What feels like loss may be the beginning of new life.

The resurrection is the ultimate reminder that God specializes in bringing life from ashes, beauty from brokenness, and glory from what appears to be defeat. Jesus is still calling our names.

And these precious twenty-four hours of today are another opportunity to answer. From ashes to glory.

 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8

JUNE 12, 2026

 

  “Just 'cause I'm leavin'
It don't mean that I won't be right by your side
When you need me
And you can't see me in the middle of the night
Just close your eyes and say a prayer
It's okay, I know you're scared when I'm not here
But I'll always be right there
Even though I'm leavin', I ain't goin' nowhere” 

Luke Combs

EZRA 1-2

68When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. 69According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics^b of gold, 5,000 minas^c of silver and 100 priestly garments.

70The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns. (2:68-70)

JOHN 19:23-42

25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,^b here is your son,” 27and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

JOURNAL 

There’s something quietly beautiful and deeply human in the way Jesus, in his final moments, looks down from the cross—not with bitterness or fear—but with love and provision. As the weight of the world bore down on him, he entrusted the care of his mother to his beloved disciple. Even in agony, he ensured she would not be left alone. That image lingers with me. In the eyes of those gathered at the foot of the cross...his mother, Mary Magdalene, and the disciple he loved...everything must have seemed lost. Dreams crushed, promises shattered, the silence of failure louder than any voice.

And yet, what they could not see in that moment was that this was not the end. It was the beginning of everything. What looked like defeat would become the greatest victory. Hope didn’t die on that hill—it was born there.

I’ve come to realize that one of my deepest fears is being left behind, forgotten, or alone. It’s ancient, almost primal. Maybe that’s why the moment in John’s gospel hits me so hard. Jesus doesn’t just defeat sin and death; he answers that fear. In his most desolate moment, he makes sure no one else is left alone. And because of that, I never truly am.

That same heart shows up again and again in scripture. When the exiles returned to rebuild the temple in Ezra, they gave what they could, not from compulsion, but from devotion. According to their ability, they offered gold, silver, garments...whatever they had, to reestablish the place where God would dwell among his people. It wasn’t just about bricks and gold; it was about hope, about restoring presence. They believed that God had not abandoned them, and their offerings were evidence of faith in the unseen.

That is what I need to hold on to today. That even in disappointment, even in silence or heartbreak, I am not alone. Jesus' presence is not a past event, it’s a present reality. And just like the people who returned to Jerusalem with only a sliver of what once was, I can bring whatever I have...my little faith, my broken hopes, my willingness and trust that God is able.

Paul reminds the church in Corinth that God is able to bless abundantly, providing all that we need at all times, so that we will abound in every good work. That means even when I feel inadequate or uncertain, grace is still at work. I am not working for love, I’m working from it. I am not living to earn hope, I’m living because I already have it.

So maybe Luke Combs had it right in that song. Just because it feels like something or someone is leaving, doesn’t mean we’re abandoned. It doesn’t mean the presence is gone. Jesus may have left the earth in body, but his spirit remains. When I can’t see him, I can still trust him. When the night feels long, I can still say a prayer and know he’s near.

Even though he's gone, he’s never going anywhere. And neither am I.

 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8

JUNE 11, 2026

  “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” 

― Albert Einstein

2 CHRONICLES 34-36

19When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah,^a Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21“Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”(34:19-21)

JOHN 19:1-22

8When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

JOURNAL 

Josiah completely bucks the trend of his father and seeks to follow God. It really is an amazing turn from all that he was raised to know. He restores Israel to obedience and worship of God. Yet in the end he becomes consumed with opposing the King of Egypt and is killed in battle. Nevertheless...although not perfect he was passionate in his pursuit and obedience to God. He found the scrolls of Moses and then doubled down in his pursuit to obey God in everything he did. He was an amazing leader and God blessed his efforts.

Pilate is conflicted because he knows in his heart that what is happening to Jesus is wrong...yet he fears the implications of not yielding to the people.  Although he knows it's wrong he had not devotion or background to go against the desires of the Pharisees. He ultimately consents and Jesus is crucified.

Every day is it's own battle for good. Any moment could be one that changes life dramatically. Security in the things of this world are simply an illusion. The only true security is found in my relationship with God. Life continues every moment of every day and I am either moving with or against God. The reality is that if my heart has been given to God, then I am constantly in fellowship with him. I need not worry about the outcome of a day or a moment, I only need to concern myself with living in God's presence and reflecting that presence to the world around me.

To see every moment as a gift from God is to live life with gratitude, wonder and purpose. I think of how I would live today differently if yesterday my circumstances were dramatically different. If I was on my deathbed, or in prison or in the midst of war...the reality is that situations and circumstances can change quickly, but to see every moment as a gift ensures that I will make the most of it and passionately pursue it in reverence to and in obedience to God. 

This is the wisdom of the spirit, this is the power of God's presence.

 9This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

1 TIMOTHY 4:9-10